They are the Magi
by mezzosangue
Summary: Harry wonders how such brilliant people can be so inept at relationships. Severus and Hermione have both decided that two years of missing the mark with each other are about to come to and end. Or are they? Post-War, EWE? SS/HG Romance.
1. Pocket Watch Chains

Author's Note: This is completed story at approximately 9,500 words. My husband said, "Doesn't the title kind of give away your twist?" Why yes, yes it does. But, so does the first chapter, so no worries. You'll have to keep up with the time frame that each chapter represents in their journey, so I give you Ron as your guide. No, really - he does a pretty good job. Severus is my happily alive, sweet and sarcastic version. Call him OOC if you must. I give you five chapters. I give O. Henry his due for his saccharine sweet tale that inspired this little work. Rated M for language and mild suggestive scenes. No lemons to be found.

Disclosure: JK Rowling created and rightfully owns Harry Potter. I simply aim to give you a few happy minutes as you wait in line for the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, as we imagine our favorite book characters living on past Deathly Hallows.

**The magi, as you know, were wise men-wonderfully wise men-who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi. **

– **O. Henry, "The Gift of the Magi"**

Harry eyed Hermione as she walked into the room. She looked happier these last six months than she had since before the war. It's not that she ever looked unhappy or depressed. But somewhere lurking alongside "determined, successful, friendly" and a host of other delightful adjectives, she just sometimes looked lost. He and Ron and Ginny and Ron's wife, Britta, took turns checking in with her to make sure that _lost_ wasn't turning into something more serious. _Lost_ was OK. _Lost_ made sense. Everyone in the room had spent the last two years after the war either about to be lost, lost, or coming out of being lost. Which, Harry reminded himself, was probably why everyone in this room was here almost without fail, every three months. For the first few months after the war, it made sense that the Order would continue to meet. Death Eaters. Trials. Trials for an Ex-Death Eater-Turned Spy. But after the trials were over and Hogwarts was reopened, it soon became clear that they needed each other more than the wizarding world currently needed a covert organization.

Maybe Hermione was no longer lost, he mused. The thought made him happy. He continued his mental inventory of the people around the room. There actually seemed to be a buzz in the air that included more than just Hermione. Hermione, Minerva and Kingsley all looked like they knew a secret. Just as he had that thought, Kingsley jerked his head in recognition as the door to the kitchen opened once more. Harry followed Kingsley's line of sight to see Severus walking in, returning the Minister's nonchalant greeting. Now, he knew for sure that something was up. Severus was the exception in the Order. He had missed all of the Order meetings for the past eighteen months. While Severus was no longer a bitter and burdened man, he was still a very private, controlled man. Tonight, however, Harry saw emotions play across his face and seemed practically giddy in comparison to his normal stoicism. Harry sat up in his seat to see what would become of tonight's meeting.

Never one for a long meeting, Minerva went through the necessary steps of running an Order meeting. Right before she would have normally concluded the meeting, thus beginning the fellowship part, she looked at Hermione conspiratorially.

"I have an announcement," Minerva said, "that involves one of our own."

"I do too, Minerva," came Kingsley's booming voice. He walked from the back of the room by Severus to stand by Minerva. "It sounds like we will all be celebrating tonight!"

There were many murmurs as people looked around. Harry saw that all of a sudden, Hermione's eyes were as large as saucers, and she was white as a ghost.

Harry's eyes moved to the corner of the room, where Harry watched as Severus ran his hands through his hair. Severus caught Hermione's eyes and then startled the room as he said darkly, "Oh, fuck."

George laughed. "That's right! Oh fuck- there's good news! That's the spirit, Snape!"

People laughed, but then the laughing turned into odd silence. Hermione was looking at Severus, Severus was looking at Minerva, and Minerva was looking at Kingsley. Kingsley was smiling as he looked around the room, the consummate politician deciding how to recover a situation quickly turning pear shaped.

Arthur calmly rose from his seat to join Minerva and Kingsley at the front of the table. "I think we can gather that whatever you were about to tell us might be a little premature. Am I correct?"

Minerva recovered from her bout of silence. "Yes, yes, premature. Too true. The meeting is concluded. Molly, dear? Is dinner ready?"

Taking her cue, Molly stood. "Absolutely! I hope you're all hungry! George, Ron, come help me take the food to the back garden!"

George stood, but had to thump Ron to move, who had been watching Hermione, shaking his head. Everyone started drifting after that. Most left the kitchen to go into the garden. Hermione walked out of the kitchen and turned towards the library. Harry stood to follow her out, but his path to the door was cut off by Severus.

He turned to face Harry. "Not now, Harry."

Harry would have challenged Severus, but the pained look on his face spoke volumes.

"Yeah, all right. Are you going to," gesturing with his eyes to the door.

Severus nodded and stared at the door for a split second more before he stepped out of the kitchen to find Hermione.

After waiting calmly in the kitchen for a few minutes, Harry went to the library and tested the wards that were now in place. Strong wards, but not dark, and not too complex. A few years ago, every ward looked the same to him, but he had since come to understand that wards were not only locks on doors, but messages. This ward simply said that Severus wanted privacy, but wouldn't hex Harry if he took down the wards if there were a really good reason. He stood there for a minute, trying to decide if he should go ahead and eat, or stay for Hermione once she was done talking to Severus. Footsteps broke his train of thought and he turned to see Ron.

"She's in there," Ron said levelly.

Harry nodded.

"She is a piece of work," Ron said, without much heat.

Harry wholeheartedly agreed. "They are literally the most brilliant people I know, but she is..." he trailed off, shaking his head.

"I took the hit back then! When she broke it off, I took the hit! _I_ was not intellectual enough. _I_ was too immature. She's the damn mess, not me! I knew what _I_ wanted!"

Harry chuckled, glad to see that chapter closed. What lurked behind the library door didn't look much better to him, but Hermione and Ron had been a train wreck.

Harry sighed. "I don't know how long this has been going on, but it's serious, mate."

"Six months."

"What?" asked Harry, shocked.

"It started six months ago."

—oOOOo—

As Severus finished up a batch of arthritis relief potion, he heard rapping on the door of his store. He easily ignored it, feeling certain it would cease as quickly as it came. His brow furrowed as he heard it again. He decided that if they knocked once more, he would answer it. He paused and was pleased that he didn't have to answer it, until he heard it the third time. Sighing, he descended the staircase leading from his upstairs lab to his apothecary. Only a truly distressed person would need a potion today. He would just need to obliviate them after he helped them.

He looked out the small, high half-circle window to see the top of a woman's head, and he smirked. He knew that hair.

Opening the door, he rolled his eyes as he stepped aside. "Granger."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, but then smiled largely. "You've forgotten my name? Are you that damn old?" she teased.

Severus stifled a smile. "Watch it, witch. I let you in, but I can throw you out again." He hung her cloak on a peg next to the door and gestured that she should follow him back up the stairs. "You know the rules. You disrupt the brewing, you chop the worst ingredients."

Hermione followed. "I can't believe you! I'm probably the only person in the world who knows you own this dump, and all I get is, 'Hey Granger, get to work?'"

Severus chuckled. "I'm trying to get some work done. I'll say it again: I let you in. But I know you. You're going to spend hours interrogating me and eating my ginger cookies. I might as well get something out of it." His back to Hermione, he smiled as he heard her laugh.

They entered the lab, and he drew the spare stool from the corner and set it down for Hermione next to where his cauldron was set up.

"What are we making, Severus?"

Her smile was easy, and finally broke him. He smiled back at her. "It's good to see you, Hermione."

"Well, you would have seen me sooner were you not so damn mysterious!" She paused. "I've missed you. But," she added, "now that I know your secret, can I actually stop by and say hello? Or is that bad? What the hell is this, Severus?"

"Well aren't you in a snit?" he replied dryly. "I actually have a reason for what I've been doing, and how I've been doing it. But, for once in your life, you are going to be patient." Ignoring her glare, he went to his storeroom and grabbed ingredients. He brought them back to his station and lit his cauldron. He chose one of his knives and placed it carefully before her. "Slice on the diagonal, please," he stated as he set some dried stems of lavender near the knife.

She accepted her assignment with good grace and cast a cleansing charm on her hands before picking up the knife.

"All right," Severus began. "You slice. We'll talk. First of all, you're lucky I answered the door today. I think we're the only two people in Hogsmeade. Why the hell aren't you at the World Cup with the rest of the world?"

"The World Cup is fun, I have to admit- even for someone who thinks Quidditch is boring. But, I've had this planned for months," she baited.

He furrowed his brow. "Then you're doubly lucky I answered the door. I'm surprised you didn't just break my wards."

Hermione blushed slightly.

"You tried," he said dryly. He rolled his eyes. "Not the first time. Probably not the last."

"Well, I didn't get that far," she answered sheepishly, "but I was pretty determined to see if I was right, that this was your store."

He lowered the flame and listened to her chop the stems. "Yes, this is my store," he stated unnecessarily. "How is it that Potter, a decorated senior auror, hasn't been able to track me down, but a five-foot-four fragile witch found me?"

Her non-verbal stinging hex was subtle, but hit his elbow perfectly.

"Shit, Hermione!" he exclaimed, jostling his mortar. Beetle eyes rolled off of the lab table. "I was just joking, woman!"

She laughed. "Oh, I know. I would have aimed much lower if I thought you were serious. Merlin, how I have missed being called, 'Woman!'"

Severus scowled. "Do that again, and I'll call you something else. Now tell me how you figured it out." He then smirked and added, "Woman."

"Well, your potions are the exact same as the ones at Hogwarts, for starters. After the war, I was shocked at how inferior the products were at other apothecaries. I got a product from here, and it was perfect. That should be enough for even the Prophet to put two and two together. Headline reads, '_Reclusive Ex-Spy Makes Potions'_"

Severus shook his head. "Not by a long shot. I wondered if anyone could even tell."

"Of course they can! Your store always has customers when I come in."

Severus chuckled. "Good quality doesn't point to evidence of the 'Reclusive Ex-Spy' making potions to the vast majority of the world, so continue."

"All right, the next clue was Ves."

"Avesgus told you?" he asked baldly. The look on Severus' face was closed and angry.

"No!" Hermione voiced, wide-eyed. She put his hand on his arm, now stilled. "No, he didn't say anything at all!"

Severus put down the mortar and pestle and turned to face her. "Explain."

"Did you know that Ves has a twin sister?" she asked, and squeezed his arm before releasing it.

He turned back to his cauldron and doused the flame, resigned that they wouldn't get much brewing done today. "No, I didn't know that. He really is very tight-lipped, which is why I hired him in the first place."

"Yes, well, you're in good company! His sister, Avia, is an Unspeakable for the Ministry. A couple of the charms I've developed were useful to her, so she searched me out to talk about them. We're friends now, have lunch every once in a while. It's not easy being friends with someone who can't talk about anything, by the way. I seem to attract mysterious people as friends." He rolled his eyes and she continued. "I did find out, though, that she has a twin brother who works for the new apothecary in Hogsmeade. I asked who the potions master was, and she said he wouldn't even tell her! She was so mad at him! Can you imagine the gall of her? She never tells me anything!"

"Focus, Hermione, focus." He tried not to smirk as she raised one eyebrow in response.

"Anyway," she continued, "I like Ves fine, but he wasn't hired for his people skills. He's efficient and keeps secrets. I've listened to him fend off any questions regarding the brewer. He's unshakable. Well done finding him!"

Severus nodded and digested her words. "I pay him very well for his non-people skills."

"But why? You have a good name, Severus. People would love to know that they are buying your products. But instead of being 'everyone's favorite war-hero Potions Master', I have to endure ridiculous articles in the Prophet speculating as to where you might be, what you might be doing, why aren't you in the spotlight and how many women you're sleeping with."

"All part of the plan, and none, by the way," he added ruefully.

Hermione chuckled. "So, what _is_ the plan?"

"I'm helping someone. I've taken an apprentice, and all of this is to help my apprentice take over smoothly. In another year, I'll turn it over and be gone from this place." He paused as Hermione's face fell. "Why are you looking like I just stole Crookshanks from you?"

"I'm jealous and sad and in awe of you, all at the same time."

"Start with 'jealous,' please," he said dryly.

"Well, you've never taken an apprentice before. Ever. You must really respect them."

"Hermione," he began exasperatedly, "I'm _helping_ someone. Did you miss that part? They need help. _You_ neither need my help, nor did you want to apprentice in potions. I let _you_ in my lab. Can that suffice to stroke your ego without giving you an apprenticeship that you never wanted?"

"I guess, but I'm going to need those ginger cookies now," she said with a mock pout.

He stared at her for a moment, but gestured for her to follow him. They crossed the lab to another door leading to his living quarters. They were small: just a sitting room, kitchen and two doors leading to his bedroom and bathroom.

He pulled out the box of ever-stocked ginger cookies from his pantry and sat down at his scrubbed table across from her.

She took a cookie from the box. "Neanderthal," she chastised, as she got up and rummaged through his cabinets looking for tea. "You can't have cookies without tea."

"What was I thinking?" he asked sarcastically. "OK, we covered 'jealous', now on to 'sad', I believe."

She put the kettle on to boil and then turned back to face him, leaning against the counter. "Are you going to disappear again in a year? I just found you!"

Severus was a little shocked at her admission. "Have you really been looking for me?"

"Yes! At first, I thought I'd see you at the quarterly Order meetings, but you stopped coming. Then I thought I'd see you at the idiotic Ministry functions, but you stopped coming. I tried sending you an owl, but it came back."

"My apologies." He paused. "I didn't think anyone would be much affected by me shrinking away from the Order. I have kept in touch with Minerva. She knows where I am and what I'm doing. She wouldn't have told you, but she probably would have passed a message on to me. My floo is connected to her office, and _only_ her office. It's a very secure connection. We talk about Hogwarts business, and I consult with Poppy on some of the more serious injuries. I still brew for Hogwarts, too."

Hermione still looked sad, so he continued. "I live here in Hogsmeade. I promise I'm not pretending to be a hermit. People in Hogsmeade see me every once in a while. You can come see me in Hogsmeade. Not here in the shop, obviously. I apparate from here to the alley behind the Hog's Head and walk everywhere from there."

That seemed to cheer her up. "So, you're not cooped up here alone all the time. That's good. I would like to come visit you! Would Minerva put letters from me through to you, do you think?"

Severus smirked. "That's how I get the charms journals you write for. That's also how I criticize your journal articles."

Hermione looked shocked, then her eyes narrowed. "Damn you, Severus! I knew that was you, you arse!" The teakettle whistled, distracting her from her tirade. She took the kettle off and took down two mugs.

Severus chuckled at the sound of the mugs being put on the counter with a little more force than was warranted. "You can be mad all you want at my criticisms. But, I knew you would get my _nom de plume_. I was trying to keep in touch with you, too."

His admission softened her expression, and she joined him at the table and handed him his mug of tea. "You're still an arse for some of the things you wrote, but I really had hoped it was you. I always looked forward to publishing an article, hoping I'd get a scathing letter from 'Severely Skeptical.'"

"Scathing? Those were real, lest you think I was just writing for old times' sake."

Hermione huffed. "Let's return to the topic of you, shall we?"

"All right, I think 'in awe of me,' was the next phrase. I'm all ears."

"Hmm. I _guess _I'm still in awe," she teased. "Who is it? Who is worth rearranging your life for? Who is worth building a lucrative business and then scrapping it?"

"First, I am not 'scrapping it.' It will survive, as will the residuals that my apprentice will pay me into perpetuity. I'm helping, not being a complete doormat. I don't think you'll like the answer to 'who?'"

"Try me," she said honestly. "I won't tell."

"I know you won't tell. I trust you, Hermione." He paused. "It's Draco."

"Oh, thank Merlin!" she exclaimed, drawing a surprised look from Severus. "I get it! He'll just become the new mysterious brewer. That is brilliant! I've been so worried about him."

"Why?" he asked, brows furrowed.

"Because no one's heard from him in ages, either. It was totally unfair how he was treated after the war. I have no love lost for Lucius. And I probably wouldn't have a good opinion of Narcissa if I knew the whole story, but Draco is being used as the whipping boy for the entire war. My letters to him got returned, as well," she added.

It was Severus' turn to be jealous, though he kept his expression neutral. He nodded while he collected his thoughts. "I'm sure Minerva would send through any letters for him, as well," he said stoically.

Hermione smiled gently at him and placed her hand on his arm resting on the table. Her smile was a knowing smile, and it unnerved him. "That won't be necessary. I just wanted to know that he was all right. We owe him a debt of gratitude. We aren't friends, and I doubt we ever will be. I'm glad that he has someone looking out for him." After a pause, she squeezed his arm. "That's enough awe for today, I think. I don't want it to go to your head."

He smiled softly at her and mused about how much he had missed talking with Hermione.


	2. Gold

Disclosure: JK Rowling created and rightfully owns Harry Potter. I simply aim to give you a few happy minutes as you wait in line for the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, as we imagine our favorite book characters living on past Deathly Hallows.

"Have you been spying on her, Ron?" Harry asked levelly.

"Yes. Six months ago, she totally changed her routines, and even you mentioned that she seemed different. I just wanted to know if she was ok."

"And then?" Harry prompted.

"And then I wanted to know why I wasn't able to trail her," he said darkly.

"_You_ lost someone's trail? What the hell was she doing?"

"Yeah, well, that's what I wanted to know. You remember working the O'Lensy case last year? She made his trail misdirections look like child's play."

"Man, I wish she was an Auror with us! She really is brilliant."

Ron glared at Harry.

"Sorry, go on. I'm assuming you finally were able to trail her."

"Yes, she was going to Hogsmeade."

"Hogsmeade? To meet?" Harry gestured again to the door, seemingly unable to say the word, 'Snape.'

"Yep."

"Wow."

"'Wow,' is right. They've been meeting every week in a shady pub in Hogsmeade."

—oOOOo—

When the chimes rang, Severus tried to tamp down his happiness, but couldn't. She came. She said she had been looking for him, and she had found him. She said she would come again, and she did.

Right before he escorted Hermione from his store the previous week, he charmed an obscure potion on a shelf in the back corner of the store to chime if Hermione removed it from the shelf. He would hear the chime in his lab and that would be his sign to meet her in the alley ten minutes later. He was currently berating himself for making it a ten-minute window. How long did it really take him to cast one stasis charm? All he wanted was to descend the stairs and see her.

Draco snorted at Severus. "The great Severus Snape fidgets? Who would have thought?" He knew better than to tease his godfather about any person he cared about, but fidgeting was safe.

Severus scowled. "Mind your own business, Draco. Your secrets are her secrets, so I suggest you think very highly of Hermione very quickly."

Draco's eyebrows rose in surprise and he went back to brewing.

"I'm going out," he said unnecessarily.

Draco gave a non-descript goodbye and watched as Severus disapparated.

With a slight pop, Severus appeared in the alley. He was now prisoner not only to the remaining time, but also to the large drops of rain that pelted intermittently as a storm began to brew.

Finally, she appeared in the alleyway a few paces away from him. The beaming smile was still present from last week, and he felt unsettled by how happy her smile made him.

"Damn ten minute rule. Next time, be ready to leave right away. I'm wet. You owe me a drink, woman!"

Hermione laughed. "I missed you, too! Where are we drinking?"

Severus gestured to the left and was shocked when he felt her left hand snake under his arm as her wand hand conjured an Impervious charm to protect them from the large drops. His arm automatically bent, trapping her hand in the crook of his elbow and refused to ponder any of the questions flooding his mind.

Entering Holly Wood and Vine, they sat next to each other in a booth. Hermione snorted at the name, and Severus smirked in acknowledgement. "No telling if they have any clue of the Muggle Hollywood reference. Somehow, by the fact that this place is the exact opposite of Hollywood glamour, I would have to say not."

"I feel so sneaky," Hermione began. "My friends are so damn nosy, I had to do some ridiculous things. It was complete overkill, but nosy friends and mysterious friends do not mix!"

Severus raised his eyebrow. "How nosy?"

"Auror-type nosy. Nosy enough that I read a book about apparition trails. It was fascinating!"

Severus smirked. "I appreciate the effort to keep my secrets. Not too much longer now. In six month's time, I'll be stocking the storeroom for students like you to steal from."

Hermione nudged his shoulder in mock reproof. "You needed a little more excitement that year. I aim to please."

"Yes, thank you," he said dryly. "I also appreciated the challenge of turning you back into a human from a cat, and unpetrifying you. Oh, whatever would I have done without you that year?"

"You're welcome!" she teased brightly. "Are you looking forward to going back?"

"I'm going back," he said levelly. "I've always known that I would go back. It was just the timing that was questionable. I thought it would be before now. I thought it would be under different circumstances, but I always knew I would go back."

"Why? Why go back at all?"

"It's very important. There is nothing as important to me as Hogwarts. For me, personally, and as a potions master."

She smiled at him, but to her credit did not pepper him with more questions, though they hung in the air like so many golden snitches.

He smiled back softly. "It's harder to explain the personal side. I'm not sure I can." He sighed. "The potions part is easier. If you are a potions master, or a master of any subject, you must teach. It's not exactly 'in the contract', per se, but you know that as a keeper of that much knowledge, it is your duty to pass it along. It should not happen at age 20 because the Headmaster needs a spy, mind you. You mentioned that I have never had an apprentice. I need to apprentice some talented students to mastery. _Not you_," he interjected teasingly. "But I haven't done that in the past 22 years, and Draco doesn't really count. Until the tide against him turns, if ever, he won't be able to apprentice anyone, so it doesn't do any good for future generations."

"And Minerva," she said, as way of an explanation.

"Yes, if Minerva needed me there today, I would come today. Godson or no godson."

Hermione blanched. "Please don't call him that."

"Godson?" he asked, confused.

Hermione nodded, looking down at her drink.

"Because he is a Malfoy?"

Hermione looked up at that, offended. "No! You know I don't hate Draco!"

"Then, what?" he prompted.

"You have a godson," she said, rather morosely.

"And so will you, in about two months, if the Prophet is to believed."

She sniggered. "Yes, I'll be a godmother. But mine will be in diapers. Your godchild is younger than me by only half a year."

"Hermione," he began, "look at me."

She looked at him and so many things fell in place. These were not simply social calls between two friends. These were wrestling matches between Hermione and her demons. Or possibly, only one demon.

"Why do you care so much about my age?" he asked.

"I'm not used to people having age differences in friendships," she said softly.

He nodded, trying to digest her words.

"Why didn't you ever come visit me after Hogwarts?" she asked, softer still.

"I'm not used to having _friendships_ with women who have boyfriends," he answered dryly.

"I'm not dating anyone," Hermione said quickly.

"Not anymore," Severus replied. "But I will always be twenty years older than you."

Hermione was a runner, Severus mused. And he was a hider, his traitorous mind supplied.

Their night ended awkwardly, and Severus wondered if he would see her the following week, or ever again.

But the following week, he heard the chimes again, and the following week. Every week for six months, they met and had dinner at Holly Wood and Vine, and their misnomer, _friendship,_ stayed buried.

His time of hiding, however, was quickly drawing to a close. Draco was taking over his store and Severus' self-imposed prison doors were open wide. He had told Hermione months ago that there was nothing more important to him than Hogwarts. But that was no longer true.


	3. Frankincense

**Disclosure: JK Rowling created and rightfully owns Harry Potter. I simply aim to give you a few happy minutes as you lounge poolside sipping something rather umbrellaish, as we imagine our favorite book characters living on past Deathly Hallows.**

"Six months. And she never told us?" Harry wondered.

"I don't like it," Ron groused. "And I actually think it started a long time ago."

"Hogwarts?"

"Yes," Ron answered. "I should have never let her return to Hogwarts to do the repairs."

Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes and tried to reason with his friend, who would forever be clueless when it came to Hermione. "Ron, you did not 'let' Hermione return to Hogwarts. No one 'lets' Hermione do anything; even Snape, I'm guessing."

"He was there. It all started when they were at Hogwarts while we were away at Auror training."

—oOOOo—

Minerva looked around the Great Hall at the assembled witches and wizards. "Thank you for being here today. We want to have the castle set to rights, or as close as we can get it, by September 1st, so the Hogwarts year can start on time. We need normalcy, and it is Hogwarts that will provide that normalcy."

Standing in the back of the room, Severus heard Hermione snort lightly from near his right shoulder. He turned slightly to look at her.

"When has Hogwarts ever been normal?" she whispered.

"Not every student gets petrified," he began, but then stopped as the list of Hermione's unusual adventures grew impossibly long. "Never mind, I see your point."

Hermione smiled at him, which surprised him as most people were still giving him a wide berth, even after half a dozen trials clearing his name.

Severus returned his attention to Minerva, who had been talking about the magical strength of the people in the room. He initially scoffed at that as he cast another glance to Hermione standing next to him at only eighteen years old. He quickly chastised himself, though. He knew her strength and knew that she belonged in that room. It truly was an impressive collection of strength and skill gathered together. It looked as though every department at the Ministry had given up one or two of their strongest people for this project, plus some other notable witches and wizards.

"I have prioritized what needs to be done. Everyone will be working in pairs." A loud groan came from some disgruntled old wizard in the corner. Minerva narrowed her eyes at him. "That is for everyone's safety, Matthias. Many of these tasks are magically draining or dangerous, or both. We've lost enough wizards and witches this year, have we not?"

No one else dared challenge Minerva, so she continued. "We will have the same system every day until Hogwarts is repaired. Meet here in the Great Hall at 8:00 a.m. Pair up, and come get an assignment from me. Your pair should return to me when it's completed and you'll get your next assignment if there's enough time left in the day."

Everyone stood stock still, until Minerva furrowed her brow in confusion, "Well? Pair up! There's work to be done!"

The hustle and bustle of a meeting breaking up began immediately as people paired up. Severus contemplated for a moment whether or not he could strong-arm Minerva into letting him work alone when his thoughts were interrupted.

"Professor Snape?"

He looked to Hermione and raised an eyebrow.

"Let's go," she said, and cocked her head, gestured to the queue.

"Let _us _go?" he asked dryly.

She smiled at him again, but this time it was not humorous. He had seen that look before from another strong-willed Gryffindor witch. There was definitely a reason she was Minerva's favorite student.

"While you were standing there trying to figure out how to Slytherin your way out of doing what she asked, everyone paired up. Let _us_ go." She sighed. "You missed the two brave souls that actually looked back here. One was looking at you; one was looking at me. I saved us both by gesturing at you as if we had already decided to pair up. You can thank me later."

Severus did not budge from the wall upon which he was leaning. "Miss Granger," he began in his most condescending voice, but was interrupted by Minerva.

"Severus, good! I was hoping you would find a good partner. I kept this project out for you, especially, but you'll need a smart partner." She looked to Hermione. "This needs more intelligence than brute strength, if you know what I mean, Hermione."

When neither of them immediately reached out for the proffered parchment, Minerva stood directly in front of Severus. "Severus, I need you." Her demeanor with him belied the confidence that she had projected to the large group.

"You have me, Minerva," he said honestly. He grabbed the parchment. He sighed theatrically and watched as Hermione smiled again. "Come along, partner. Let _us_ go."

Unsurprisingly, their assignment was the potions laboratory, storeroom and adjoining areas. There was no doubt that the storeroom was a chemical hazard area. Moreover, the storeroom and all of the nearby rooms had been magically sealed as one large area after the battle. It was little more than someone crossing their fingers and wishing for the best.

Their walk down to the dungeons was silent for all of two minutes before Hermione broke the silence. "How do you suggest we," she began, when she was interrupted.

"There is that word again. _We_. There is no 'we,' Miss Granger. I will let you know what to do when it is time."

Severus felt as though he had properly put Hermione in her place. If he was doomed to have to work with someone, it would be in a comfortable roll as professor and student, even though he was no longer anyone's professor.

She walked behind him wordlessly on the stairways and joined him near the entrance to the lab. Inwardly, he sighed in relief that she was not going to fight him.

"I'm going to release the wards. I suggest you shield yourself, Miss Granger."

Hermione remained calmly silent next to him, but did not conjure a shield. He raised his eyebrow, but said nothing. If she wanted to get knocked unconscious on her first assignment, so be it.

He began the wand movements to remove the wards, which had been described on the parchment. He felt the wards resist, however, and was a bit puzzled when he heard a voice breaking his concentration.

"Severus?"

He ignored her and began again.

"Severus?" Hermione asked again, in a singsong voice.

He narrowed his eyes at her and was about to start a tirade when she interrupted him before he could begin.

"Let's get some things straight: you didn't listen, or else you would have heard Minerva say that the wards must be released by at least two people simultaneously, or they won't release. That was to reinforce her design that no one should work alone."

"Then get your wand up, woman," he began tersely, but again was interrupted.

"Not by a long shot, Severus. My name is Hermione."

"And?"

"And you and I are going to treat each other like reasonable human beings, or we are going to stand in front of this door for a long, long time looking like idiots."

"You will," he began sternly, only to be cut off once more.

"Or what?" she countered to his unfinished threat. "Will you go looking for a new partner? Go for it. Or will you go to Minerva and demand that she put you with someone better?"

"Damn Gryffindors," he muttered. "All right, _Hermione_, get your wand ready," he said caustically.

Hermione's eyes almost immediately lost all of the heat and all of the bravado. "I can't do this, Severus. I'm so damn tired."

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and growled. "What the hell are you talking about? Why did you sign up to do something of this magnitude if you're tired?"

"I'm not talking about the wards! I'm talking about this," gesturing between them. "I can't fight one more enemy. Either we drop all of our acts right now and walk in together, or I," she paused. "I don't know. Because I don't have anything but empty threats, either. You and I both know that we're not going to let Minerva down. And we both know that everyone else in that room would be a beating to work with. No finesse. Did you see that wizard, Matthias, who argued with Minerva? I swear he looked part troll, part Hufflepuff."

Severus smirked, despite himself. "He's on the Wizengamot. He used to work as an Unspeakable. He's brilliant and incredibly strong magically." He paused and looked calculatingly at Hermione. "He's what you would look like if you were male, bald and part troll."

Hermione's mouth gaped open and then her eyes narrowed. "You're such an arse. That's more complimentary than anything you ever wrote in your nasty red ink." Her eyes brightened a little bit and the corners of her mouth curved up, just a trace. "Truce?"

A formidable witch made a better ally than enemy. "Truce," he said quietly. She had surely earned the right to not have to put up with his bullshit, just as Minerva had earned that right.

He took a deep breath. "Are you ready, Hermione?"

She smiled at him and nodded. "I'm ready, Severus."

For two months, they met up in the Great Hall precisely at 8:00 a.m. every morning except Sundays. She didn't pester him with greetings or questions until they had received their assignment and made their way to the dungeons, via the kitchens. Armed with tea and ginger cookies, they would walk down the staircases. Once safely ensconced in the dungeons, however, they never lacked for things to talk about. They teased each other, argued with each other and surprised each other.

After their daily repair assignment, Severus would stay to make potions to restock the infirmary. During their second week of work, Hermione followed him into the lab, insisting that Severus finish answering some of the questions she had just posed regarding the war. He considered throwing her out, but didn't want her to leave. Feeling unsettled, he made her chop ingredients for the next four hours as he answered her many questions. When they left together, her fingers were pruned from the gillyweed, but her questions were answered. And Severus knew that Hermione had wormed her way into his life as both brewing assistant and friend.

Together, they had restored the entirety of the dungeons to their pre-war state and completely restocked all of Madam Pomfrey's potions. Their final assignment in late August was to complete the restoration of the Slytherin Girls' Dormitory. The students would be arriving in four days' time, and all of the teams were finishing up, except a special, larger team that was now rebuilding the north tower. Those repairs would take a full additional month, but neither Hermione nor Severus were on that team, and they would be parting ways.

"It looks good," she said. Her voice was an odd mixture of pride and sadness.

He nodded. "You start at the Ministry tomorrow?" he asked, knowing full well that she did. He had advised her when she applied for the job in the Charms Development department, listened to her fret about whether she did well in the interview, and was there when the owl found her to let her know that she got the job. That had been the first time she ever hugged him.

She smiled at him. "Is there brewing?" she asked, trailing off. They both knew very well that the infirmary was over-stocked, truth be told.

Severus simply shook his head. "I'll walk you to the Entrance Hall."

She nodded and he followed her up the stairs, with his hand just barely brushing the small of her back in a protective manner that he couldn't help. His brow furrowed as he wondered when he had started that.

He knew Hermione well enough to know that she would want to hug him goodbye, so he was glad to find the Entrance Hall deserted.

Later, when he would recollect upon their parting that day, he would smile as he recalled that it had the potential to be chaste.

Hermione grabbed both of his hands in hers, the way he had seen her do so many times with her friends. Surprising him, she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, but somewhere along the way, he leaned down to make it easier for her. She was supposed to kiss him on the cheek. They both knew that. But instead, her lips landed on the corner of his lips. He knew if either of them broke the kiss quickly, they could still recover, act like nothing happened. Severus felt her breath on his lips and when she didn't pull away, he kissed her slowly, reveling in the feel of her soft lips. As they kissed, he moved his hands from hers to circle around her waist and let one hand tangle in her curls as her hands gripped the front of his coat. He wasn't going to push her too far, so he teasingly sucked her bottom lip between his own and broke the kiss. He searched her face, memorizing her darkened eyes and took in the blush that had appeared. He knew that even as she had wanted that kiss, that at the end of the day, she was a very young, very confused woman. A woman who had a boyfriend. A woman about to start a new job, about to leave him. Kissing her did nothing to help that confusion, but he'd be damned if he was going to pass up the opportunity to kiss her.

"I'll miss you," he said definitively, releasing her waist.

It was her turn to simply nod. After a few moments, she added, "Goodbye, Severus. I will see you soon?"

"Yes."

She nodded again, and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she walked out of the front door. They closed behind her with a resounding clang. And she was gone.

A month later found Severus inside the library of Grimmauld Place, waiting for the Order meeting to begin. His desire to see Hermione again was at war, however, with the knowledge that she was still dating Ron.

As the Order meeting was called to order, Severus stood in the back corner. War-time memories flooded him. His stomach roiled as he recalled the pull between trusting and being trusted, spying and being watched. It was time for a change. Murky disconnected thoughts that had been drifting in and out of late became clear visions of what he should do.

Three months later, Hermione asked Minerva if Severus would be at that night's meeting. Minerva looked around the room in surprise that he was not standing sentry in his normal place, and frowned at the empty shadowed corner.

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews! You all make me laugh so often! Glad you are out there having fun with me.**


	4. Myrrh

**Disclosure: JK Rowling created and rightfully owns Harry Potter. I simply aim to give you a few happy minutes during lunch hour, as we imagine our favorite book characters living on past Deathly Hallows.**

"It doesn't matter when it started, Ron! Hogwarts, six months ago… It doesn't matter."

Harry was thankful to see Ron nod in agreement. Ron was happily married to Britta and both Britta and Ginny had given birth to sons in the last four months, but there was always a lingering fear that Ron had never stopped loving Hermione. Today's revelations had done nothing to dispel Harry's disquiet.

"What a piece of work," Ron groused again. "I'm going to eat. Are you going to stay and check on Hermione?"

"Yeah." He paused. "If this is what I think it is, best to stop following her, Ron."

"If she's all right, I'll stop following her. If he's the bastard I remember, I'll always be there to take care of her. And you will, too."

Harry nodded, but rolled his eyes at Ron's retreating back. Ron may have loved her once, but Harry knew Hermione better. She didn't need anyone taking care of her. And if they found out Ron was following her, Hermione would put him on his arse even quicker than Severus.

—oOOOo—

Once he entered the library, Severus ignored Hermione for a moment as he set wards upon the room to give them privacy. As he did so, emotions twisted upon emotions. Merlin, he hoped this meant what he thought it did. In the best scenario, he and Hermione were about to choose their favorite job location, together. They would finally stop this years-long dance around each other. Their dance around ex-boyfriends and age differences could be put to rest once and for all.

But turning back to face the room, it was not a smiling Hermione that he saw, nor was she laughing about their idiocy. Her back was to him, facing a bookcase, her arms wrapped around herself defensively.

"This is not what was supposed to happen," he heard her whisper.

He refused to believe that he had misunderstood the reason behind her desire to be at Hogwarts. His internal mantra became, "She wants me, she's just scared." Because if both of them doubted, he would end up desiring her for two more years while she worked up the courage again to seek him out.

He decided in that moment that he would rather draw her ire, or any emotion, than watch her draw into her insecurities further.

In his silkiest voice, he stood only a foot behind her. "You should not have kissed me, little girl."

"I shouldn't have thrown myself at my former professor," she agreed bitterly.

Ignoring her, he continued. "I remember that kiss, have replayed it a million times in my mind. I have let that fantasy continue playing until you were writhing under me, calling out my name." He paused. "I have let it play even further than that, Hermione. In my fantasy, you wake up in my arms. Every morning in my arms. I had hoped your desire to surprise me and come to Hogwarts was the first step in that fantasy coming true. Just as my surprise to come to Ministry was...

"But you are still a little girl. Aren't you, Hermione? Scared that you are too young for me." He paused. "Maybe you are. The girl who kissed me behind her boyfriend's back wasn't. I quite liked her."

"Stop," she said firmly. She still would not face him, but it was a beginning.

"But that's not what I call you, is it, Hermione?"

When he got no response, he closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her. One arm rested below her arms, still coiled about her midsection. Daringly, the other arm snaked above her arms, resting beneath her breasts. He brushed the side of her breast with his thumb, slowly, barely. He heard as her breath quickened.

He leaned his head next to her ear. "I call you woman," he whispered. "You are a grown woman who knows what you want, and whom you want. Tell me, Hermione. Why did you quit the Ministry and go to Hogwarts?"

"Because I want you. I've wanted you for years. But it's all wrong."

He stopped caressing her and decided to speak plainly . "Was it wrong of me to kiss you in the Great Hall, to awaken you to the thought of me as your lover? Maybe it was. You weren't ready." He sighed. "But I don't regret it. I don't regret one minute of my life that you've been in. I want you, Hermione. In every way. I want you in my life. But I can't do this dance for two more years while you decide if I can love a younger woman. I do love a younger woman. Why won't you let me?"

He felt rather than saw her crying. He turned her in his arms and held her to himself.

"Please talk to me, Hermione," he entreated, his voice low.

"This is not how it was supposed to happen! You were supposed to be surprised that I had found a way to be at Hogwarts with you. Shocked, damn it! It was hard! Then I was supposed to sit beside you at dinner in the Great Hall each night until you finally asked me out on a date. Then we would fall in love."

"And give you time to get over me being older," he furnished. "It's too damn late for that, Hermione," he said tiredly. "I have loved you for far too long. The more you talk, the more I like _my_ fantasy," he joked. "You're much less insecure in my fantasies."

"I know," she whispered. "Kissing you that day was the most brash thing I've ever done. It wasn't me, though. The real me is insecure."

"In this, maybe. But the woman I fell in love with bullied me in to being her partner before she would even let me into my own damn lab. I do not see a frail insecure girl when I look at you. I see an amazing woman who shot a stinging hex the last time I dared to call her frail. You are beautiful and brilliant and strong. And I would very much like to know how you achieved a teaching post at Hogwarts, but first, I want to kiss you again."

He lifted her chin and covered her lips with his. He smothered her own insecurity with his certainty. Slowly, she began to respond. He drew her tighter to his body and reveled as she moaned into his mouth.

He drew away from her, looking at her kiss-swollen lips. "Do you love me?"

"Yes," she sighed. "So much it hurts."

He put some distance between them, leaving his hands on her waist. "In a moment, we are going to leave this room. We are going to leave with our heads high, and a promise to fix the problems we've created for Kingsley and Minerva. But we will not look back, Hermione. Anyone who has two brain cells to rub together knows what's going on in here. Frankly, what they're picturing is probably more exciting," he said sardonically. "I'm not hiding any longer, and you're not running. I can't do this otherwise."

Hermione smiled at him and kissed him softly. "All right. We start from today. But you're taking me to dinner so that we can discuss where we're working for the next decade!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes, it is," she said decisively. He chuckled as she drew his neck down to kiss him.

Hermione watched as he released the wards. He looked at her solemnly. "It's time."

She smiled softly and nodded as she placed her arm in the crook of his elbow, ready to face the world, together.

They only got two steps from the library, however, before they found themselves in the hall facing Harry.

"Hermione. Severus. Everything all right? I was worried with all of that confusion earlier."

Hermione smiled at him. "Everything is great, Harry. We're off to dinner. We have a lot to talk about." She then smiled sweetly at Severus.

"Hermione," Severus began. "Why don't you tell Minerva that we will floo her tomorrow. And Kingsley, as well."

She looked between both men and rolled her eyes at the thin pretense laid before her, but went to find Minerva nonetheless.

Severus looked at Harry. "Tell Ron that if he follows us one more time, I will casually give Hermione an elementary lesson in spying. And I will laugh as she hexes him six ways from Sunday. I have been very, very patient with that boy."

Harry nodded. "Understood."

"Harry," Severus sighed, "say what you want to say. This is the only opportunity I will give you to do so."

Harry blinked in surprise, but recovered quickly. "Are you happy?" he asked kindly. "I already know that Hermione is happy."

Severus nodded, and the men watched as Hermione returned to his side.

Harry looked at both of them, together. "You are going to fix your mess, right? You two are better, together. If I had to choose, I would choose Hogwarts. Kingsley is a pushover; he'll get over it. Minerva, not so much."

Hermione smiled and hugged Harry. Harry proffered his hand to Severus and Severus shook it. Harry walked back into the kitchen to join the rest of the Order.

"Are you ready, woman?" Severus joked, holding Hermione around the waist, looking at her. He could see what Harry saw, that Hermione was happy, and his heart swelled.

Hermione smiled at him lovingly. "I'm ready, Severus."

**Author's Note: Just one more short epilogue left...**


	5. Combs for her Hair

**Disclosure: JK Rowling created and rightfully owns Harry Potter. I simply aim to give you a few happy minutes while we pretend we're reading an email from work, as we imagine our favorite book characters living on past Deathly Hallows.**

**Epilogue**

"Minerva, it's Severus. Are you in?"

Minerva's voice floated through the fire. "Yes, Severus, come through."

Severus unfolded himself from the fireplace and quickly cast a cleansing charm.

"Have a seat, Severus," Minerva said, grinning.

"Damn Cheshire Cat," Severus joked.

"I am an old woman, Severus, surely you can allow me to enjoy the little play that got performed yesterday. O'Henry would be proud."

Severus rolled his eyes. "I'm losing my touch as a spy. For some reason, I didn't think I had to spy on Hogwarts to see what the woman I love was plotting behind my back. Especially because I assumed that you would have my back, Minerva," he said pointedly.

"Don't blame your idiocy on me, young man," she teased. "Had I known that you had given Hermione a second thought since you parted ways two years ago, I would have told you. My only fear now, is that I have lost my newest Charms apprentice and junior professor."

"If that were the case, she would be here with me," Severus stated levelly. "Professor? She didn't tell me that part. She simply said that she would be Filius' apprentice."

"She is too modest. Filius couldn't accept an apprentice along with his Deputy Headmaster duties, or else she would probably be a full Charms Mistress by now. She asked directly after the war, but we couldn't figure out how to make it work. She was the one who asked if she could take over teaching some of Filius' junior classes to free Filius to apprentice her. She is incredibly organized and motivated, so it won't be a huge burden on her. It will take her a full year longer, though. But for some reason," Minerva said sarcastically, "she wasn't too bothered about being here for three years." She paused to laugh. "Did you see her face when she figured out that you had taken a job at the Ministry to be with her instead?"

Severus scowled. "Can we get back to the issue at hand, Minerva?"

Minerva scowled right back at him. "Of course. You're here because you need to know if now is a good time for you to return to Hogwarts. Did you tell Hermione that you would be coming back this year?"

"Yes, but then I decided I would like to have a chance to court her before returning. It is rather hard to find a wife when you live at Hogwarts year-round."

"But now you think you might be able to find a wife," she said levelly. "That makes me happy, Severus. She deserves a mature man. A patient man. And you are a patient man, Severus." She looked at Severus fondly until he scowled again.

"Oh, do stop scowling. All right, to answer your question: yes, this is a good year to let Professor Slughorn return to retirement. If you ask Horace, any year is a good year to retire. I will send both of you parchments with details of when to come to the castle. Now, off with you. I have to floo the Minister of Magic and gloat."

Severus chuckled as he rose from his chair. "Thank you, Minerva. I'm ready to be back."

Minerva smiled. "And Hogwarts is ready for you again."

At the Welcoming Feast, Severus got there early and sat down in his chair. The other professors trickled in. Some stood chatting while others took their seat. Suddenly, he felt a presence behind him as Hermione was making her way toward him. Severus nodded at her and stood from his chair. "Professor Granger," he greeted her. She blushed prettily, and he pulled the chair out for her. For three months, they had been steadily facing the world, together.

Remembering Hermione's tirade in the library of Grimmauld Place, after the sorting, he casually leaned over to Hermione.

"I was so surprised, Miss Granger, to hear that you were returning to Hogwarts. Minerva and Filius must trust you a great deal to allow you to teach the younger students while still apprenticing. You intrigue me."

Hermione played along. "Thank you. It's so good to be back at Hogwarts. I was surprised to see that you, too, were returning this year. I had not heard from you in a very long time, Professor Snape."

"You must call me Severus. We are colleagues now. I insist."

Hermione smiled at him. "Well then, you must call me Hermione."

Severus was about to ask her if she would like to go on a date with him to Hogsmeade when he suddenly felt Hermione's hand on his thigh.

He chuckled darkly. "My, my, Hermione. You are very forward for a woman who just gave me permission to use her given name."

"Well, I know I'm young, Professor Snape, but I know what I want."

"Is that so?" Severus asked silkily.

"Yes, it is so. Why, when I was only eighteen, I brazenly kissed a man. He was much older than myself, quite the scandal. It was right out those doors in the Entrance Hall. I can see the spot from here."

"And do you always get what you want, Hermione?"

Her smile was the bright, beautiful smile of the young woman he fell in love with, and he smiled back at her.

"Eventually," she answered playfully, grabbing his hand above the table. She watched as Severus kissed her fingers softly. "Eventually."

**Author's Note: Thank you for reading! **


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